By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has called for a binding commitment among the 19 northern states to speak with one voice on issues of security and economic development.
Governor Lawal made the call on Monday while chairing the opening day of the Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialization Summit held at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the summit was convened by the Northern Elders Forum under the leadership of Professor Ango Abdullahi, with the theme “Unlocking Strategic Opportunities.”
Lawal commended the forum for its dedication to the region’s progress, stressing that the choice of mining, agriculture, and power as focus areas reflected the urgent needs of northern Nigeria.
“In Zamfara, we face the paradox of abundant mineral resources and vast arable land, yet our people have not fully benefited from these endowments. What is needed now is collaboration to turn this potential into prosperity,” the governor said.
He emphasized that security remained central to unlocking the region’s economic opportunities. “We must collectively secure people and investments. Security is the fundamental prerequisite for any meaningful development. Investors will not commit capital where it is not safe,” he warned.
Lawal urged northern leaders to integrate their security architecture, share intelligence in real time, and embrace community policing to build a safe and predictable environment for investors.
Highlighting Zamfara’s reforms, he noted efforts to regulate the mining sector, revitalize agriculture through mechanization and agro-processing, and ensure a stable environment for investment.
He concluded by proposing a Northern Nigerian Economic Compact, which would serve as a binding agreement for the 19 states to present a unified front to investors while co-investing in critical infrastructure such as power, rail, and fibre optics.